
The 
Tenth Gift VJ4^c^ftraw»* , 




Stick Laying •psF} 



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\MANISTEE t 
MICH. 



Price, Twenty-five Cents. 



Kindergarten Material in Primary 
Schools— How to Use It. 



The Tenth Gift, 

STICK-LAYING 

In Primary Schools 



A Practical Manual Especially for Primary 
Kindergarten Teachers. 



WITH MANY ILT/rjSTFATIONS 



ALICE BUCKINGHAM 



Manistee, Michigan. 
American Kindergarten Supply House. 

J. H. SHULTS, Proprietor. 



THE LiBRARY OF 

CONGRESS, 


Two Copies Receives ' 


OCT 8 


1903 , 


Copyright Entry 
CLASS O^ XXc No 


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J COPY 


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Copyrighted, 1903, 
by J. //. Shults, Manistee, Mich. 



Preface. 

This work constitutes one of a series now issued or soon to be 
published upon the use of kindergarten material in primary 
schools. 

The >urpose of the author and publisher is to aid in bringing 
a out th» best possible kindergarten training in primary schools. 

Whilt the use of this material has rapidly increased within 
the last f»w 3 T ears, thus far there has been an almost total ab- 
sence of lterature along this line. 

While L .he regular kindergartens are doing most worthy 
work, yet heir operations are limited to the comparative few. 
Probably 8 per cent of the children of America will receive 
their first raining outside the home in primary schools, and 
while the esablishment of regular kindergartens everywhere is 
always to beencouraged, in the meantime let us labor to make 
the best possible and only available substitute— the primary 
school— a place where at least some of the advantages of kinder- 
garten trainhg can/be secured. 

THE AUTHOR. 



The Tenth Gift— Sticklaying— in Primary 
Schools* 



Those teachers in graded schools who give somt 
little time to the work with the kindergarten gifts and 
occupations have, before taking up the sticks, shown 
the development of the plane from the cube, and now 
the development of the stick from the plane should 
be demonstrated. This can be done by laying a num- 
ber of sticks side by side until a square is formed. 
The children will see that this square is like the square 
tablet. Then taking the sticks away one by one show 
that they are each cut or sawed off from the edge of 
a plane. Let each child be furnished with sticks to do 
this at the same time with the teacher. Have sticks 
in bundles with rubber band around. Let each child 
have a bundle of five or ten two-inch sticks to begin 
with. T ater the other lengths of sticks can be given. 
The child notices immediately that the sticks are of 
wood. Just here a ksson on how the sticks are pro- 
duced may be given. For instance : Ask the children 
where they think the wood comes from to make the 
sticks. Some will say. "From boards," others, "From 
the trees." Then lead the children's thought to the 
trees, and then on through the process of cutting the 
trees down, and sawing them into boards, and finally 
of these boards being cut up into the little sticks for 
their use. The knowledge of so many men at work 
and so much labor expended in the production of the 
little sticks will help to impress upon them their value. 

After these lessons have been quite thoroughly im- 



pressed, in the next lesson let each child take from his 
bundle one stick. Let the children, led by the teacher, 
hold their sticks in as many positions as possible: up 
and down (vertically), horizontally, both front and 
back and left and right, and slantwise in all directions, 
Perhaps they can tell of something it looks like when 
held in each position. This will be good for the imag- 
ination. Then let them lay the stick upon the desk or 




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table, first vertically (Fig. i), then horizontally (Fig. 
2), then slantingly (Figs. 3 and 4), telling what it 
represents in each position. They will wonder at the 
number of things that can be done with one stick. 

When all that can be done with one stick has been 
learned, use two sticks. End to end let them be placed 




in the vertical (Fig. 5), horizontal (Fig. 6), and slant- 
ing positions (Figs. 7 and 8). The children will be 
able to think of other things that these longer lines 
look like. 

Now let them place the two sticks parallel in each 
position, or make "even lines," as they may call them 

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(Figs. 9, io, II and 12). Let them tell where they 




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have seen parallel lines. Help them to see that the 
opposite edges of a book cover, the opposite sides of 
a room, and so forth, are parallel lines. Now let 
them form a right angle. Someone will tell you that 
it is a square corner. Ask them where they have seen 
a square corner. They may tell you in the corner of 
the room, the corner of the book cover, and the corner 
of the table.' Let them compare the angle thev have 
made with those they have discovered, and so find that 
all square corners are the same size. Let them form 
rigb* "ticrles in all four nosifions, as shown by Figs. 13, 




14 and 15. Show that if we move the outer end of one 
of the sticks forming the right angle a little nearer 
to the other stick, the angle will no longer be a right 
angle but an acute angle (Fig. 16). Move the stick 
a little, so as to make the angle smaller, and the chil- 
dren will tell you, "That is a sharp corner." Now let 
them tell where they have seen acute angles. Let them 
form acute angles in all positions. (See Figs. 17 to 
28.) Lead the children to see that an acute angle may 
be any size from the least bit smaller than a right 
angle to the smallest that can be made. 

Now proceed with the obtuse angle, showing them 



that if we move the outer end of one stick in the right 






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angle a little farther from the other it will form the 
obtuse angle (Fig. 29). Then let the obtuse angle 





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be formed in all positions, as the acute angles were. 
A few illustrations are given. (See Figs. 30 to 34). 
Also lead the children to see that an obtuse angle may 
be any size from the least bit larger than a right angle 
to the largest that can be formed. 

After this study of the angles let them see if they 



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can form any other figures with only two sticks. A 
few suggestive designs are given. Many others can 
be easily invented by teacher and pupils. The letters 
L, T, V and X can be formed with two sticks. 

Now we may take up three sticks. Proceed as 
with two, first forming the long lines in the three 



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positions with the sticks placed end to end, as shown 
by Figs. 42, 43, 44. These longer lines will no doubt 




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remind the children of something different from the 
shorter ones. Next place the three sticks parallel in 
all three positions, shown by Figs. 45, 46, 47. Let the 





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children tell where they have seen three parallel lines, 
or more. Lead them to notic'e the edges of the panels 



in the door, and of the panes in the window, and so 
forth, and to see that these are parallel lines. Then 
let them form two right angles with the three sticks 
(Fig. 48). Call this a table. Let them form this so 
that the opening will be up, right, left. Let them give 
it a name in each position. Now let them form the 
equilateral triangle (Fig. 49). And now a figure with 
the obtuse angles (Fig. 50). Let them turn these in 
all directions. 




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Now let the children invent. There are many figures 
that can be made with three sticks, some of which are 
shown by Figs. 51 to 60. The letters A, F, H, K, X, 
Y and Z can be formed with three sticks of suitable 
lengths. The children, with a little help and encour- 
agement, will invent these and many more, and will 
tell what each represents. 

Now comes the four sticks. First lay the long lines, 



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then the parallel lines. After that the snuare, and then 
figures containing the other angles. Dictate some of 
;e and let the children invent some. A few designs 
are given. The letters E, F, K, M, I, P, V and W can 
be formed with four sticks of various lengths. Figs. 




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61 to 68 illustrate a few suggestive designs that can be 
made with four or more sticks. 




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Thus, after the uses of each number of sticks have 
been exhausted, take one more stick, and proceed with 
the formation of the lines, then the angles, and after- 
ward with the different figures that can be formed. 
It will be found that the number of different exercises 
that can be given with the sticks is almost unlimited. 




Using long sticks for marginal lines, many attractive 

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borders can be laid with sticks, a few of which are 





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suggested below 





.In using the sticks to teach numbers let the children 
lay them in groups of twos, or threes, or fours, or 
fives. In this way they will learn to count, and also 
to recognize two, three, four, five at a glance. 

To teach addition they may be used in this way. 
Direct pupils to place two sticks side by side, the 
teacher at the same time making two marks upon the 



board (Fig. 94). Place two more sticks with them 



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(Fig. 9.5). Tell what you have done. Pupil says, "I 
placed two sticks and two sticks. That makes four 
sticks." Or, let them say, "Two and two are four." 
Teach them to write this. 

To teach subtraction . teacher directs pupils t ) place 
four sticks. Teacher represents them upon b iard as 
before. "Take away two sticks." Teacher erases two 
of the marks. "Tell what you have done." "I placed 
four sticks, then I took away two sticks. I have two 
:s left." Finally he recites and learns that tour 
less two are two. 

Multiplication. — Direct pupils to place two sti< 
two more, two more sticks, as shown by Fig. 96. Tell 
what you have done. Pupil says. "I placed two sticks, 
two sticks and two sticks. That makes six sticks." 
Teacher asks, "How many times did you place two 
sticks?" "I placed two sticks three times. Two times 
three are six." Or, "two threes are six." 

Division. — Teacher directs pupils to place six 
.sticks, as shown by Fig. 97. Then ask them to take 
away two sticks, take away two more sticks, two more 
sticks. "How many times did you take away two 
sticks?" "I took two sticks away three times." "I 
can take two from six three times." "There are three 
twos in six." Get these answers by questioning. 

For the benefit of those teachers who have several 
grades to look after, and whose time is consequently 
limited so that but verv little can be given to the 



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kindergarten work, the following directions may be 
of use : 

During the first few days of the child's school life, 
for busy work, let him play with certain material 
without direction, just as he would at home. The 
child will thus feel free and will come to feel at home 
sooner in his new surroundings. The watchful teach- 
er will by this means be furnished a clue to the pupil's 
individuality, and may see the bent of the pupil's mind. 
This may be a great help to the teacher in his future 





vvoixv witn tne Ciiiiu. 

The sticks are a suitable material to he furnished 
the child during these first days. They are quickly 
and easily handled, noiseless, and are adapted ro the 
child's need for constructing. 

Giving each child a handful of sticks, tell them 
they may play with them. Many children when left 
to themselves will try to make a house, first of all. 
Most of the stick houses will be very crude. Ask 
them to look at their own houses and at the other 
houses they pass in going to and from school, and 
see whether they stand up straight, or look as if they 
were tumbling down. After observing a few times 
most of the children will be able to lay their stick 

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houses much better. Some will need a little showing 
as to how to place the sticks, as it seems natural for 
some children to at first make all objects in an inverted 
or sidewise position. Other objects which the chil- 
dren will make if left to tliemselves are chairs, tables, 
trees, boats, and so forth. Let the children learn to 
lay any or all of these objects. But work with what- 
ever is taken up until they can lay it correctly. If this 
cannot be done at first let them observe the object 
again and again, and get to see it correctly. They 
will thus be enabled to lay it correctly with the sticks. 
This observing and also the stick-laying itself are 
good preparation for drawing. 





When it is desired to have the children begin copy- 
ing designs, place upon the board a number of ver- 
tical lines, perhaps ten. Call them soldiers, and re- 
mind the children that soldiers always stand very 
straight. Have them place a row of as many soldiers 
(sticks) upon their desks as you have upon the board, 

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This will help to train the eye and also teach them to 
count. 

Place upon the hoard the right angle in the four 
positions (see Figs. 13, 14, 15), and let them copy 
them. Then place the acute angles upon the board 
(Fig. 16). Let them see in how many directions 
they can make the acute angle. Then an obtuse angle 
(Fig. 34). let them make this, also, in as many 
positions as possible. Now place upon the board other 
designs made with two sticks, which may be suggest- 
ed by Figs. 35 to 41. Let the children name these, 
and copy them, and let them also invent others made 
with only two sticks. 

After the study of two sticks is finished, place upon 
the board designs made with three sticks. First the 
figure 48, with two right angles, turned in all direc- 




tions. Let them copy these, and also have other de- 
signs made with three sticks upon the board, which 
may be suggested by Figs. 51 to 60, and, as before, 
let them invent others. 

Now proceed with four sticks having a square upon 
the board for them to copy. Let them make a num- 
ber of squares with short sticks and long ones, squares 
within squares, etc. Let them practice on these until 

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can lay them very accurately. Then have other' 
designs made with four sticks, a few of which are 
suggested above. Let them invent others. A great 
number of designs can be made with four sticks. Al- 
ways have them name the objects made. 

Next use the five sticks, We give a lew of the de- 
sings that can be made. The teacher can invent 
others and the pupils still others. 

Gradually increase the number of sticks used. A 
few suggestive forms of life and forms of beauty 
Which can be constructed with six or more sticks are 
given. Many others can be easily invented by teacheir 




and pupil, and this feature of invention by the pupils 
should be made much of. 

It will be found that the sticks will be a never-end- 
ing source of enjoyment to the little people, il used 
discreetly and not too often. The children will tire 
of them if used every day. Once in two days will be 
much better, using other material the alternate days. 

The designs upon the board should always be drawn 
with rule for this work, so as to make them represent 
the sticks as nearly as possible. 

After a little practice, if the children are taught to 
lay their designs true from the first, they will be able 

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to make riot only the hotise at home, but tin- tefiee" rfl 
front, the tree near and other objects. Many pictures 
for them to represent will be suggested by the nature 
work, by the reading lessons, and by the stories told 
by the teacher. 

After the children have laid a design they may be 
required to draw it. This will be a help to the busy 
work and also to drawing. 

The manner of using the sticks for teaching num- 
bers has been suggested above, and is as applicable 
for the teacher with many grades, as for the teacher 
with i 

One great advantage of kindergarten material in 
primary schools is the opportunity it presents for in- 
teresting talks with the children. Interesting, because 
the talk can relate to objects which the child has con- 
structed or with which he is familiar. Where there are 
several grades in one room the teacher can ^ave time 
by having pupils of other grades use the talk for 
their written language work of the day. 

■ ; we give a few suggestions as to the thoughts 
Which may be brought out in the talks. 

Houses — Constructed of mud (adobe), logs, (story 
of Lincoln and log cabin), lumber, brick, stone, etc. 
Indian wigwams, tents, etc. 

Cross — The story of our Saviour told with rever- 
ence and in a way that will help to inculcate sympathy 
for innocent suffering and repugnance to cruelty or 
injustice. Teach that cruel things can be said as well 
as done, that unkindness is cruelty, etc. Also describe 
different kinds of crosses, etc. 

Stars — Talk about the stars in the sky, morning 
and evening stars, etc. The stars in our flag and 
What they represent, etc. 

Chairs — Uses, different kinds, how made, etc. Tell 

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about oriental people who do not use chairs, sitting 
on the ground, etc. 

Ships — Tell story of the Santa Maria, of the May- 
flower, etc. Explain difference between sailing vessels 
and steam ships, between steamboats and steamships, 
etc. 

Flag — Talk about our flag and what it represents. 
Tell stories of patriotism and devotion to country. 
Sing or repeat patriotic selections. 

Instruct the children that whenever they invent 
something and construct it well you will talk about it. 
This will inspire them to do their best. 

The teacher can easily say something interesting and 




instructive about each form of life that may be con- 
structed. 

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The best designs can be pasted on cardboard and 
thus preserved to show to parents or visitors. 



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The songs and games will of course attract the at- 
tention of the whole school at first, but the novelty 
soon wears away and the exercise will cause little or no 
disturbance. 

The following suggestions from Teachers were 
published in the little book entitled "How to Use 
Kindergarten Material in Primary Schools: It is 
hoped that this will be found practical. 

This gift represents the embodied straight line, and is 
another steD from the concrete to the abstract, from the 
material to the spiritual. It is the most popular of all 
gifts for primary school work. The material is not only 
inexpensive but cheaper than almost any substitute, which 
partly accounts for its success; for where inferior material 
is substituted for the regular manufactured goods it in- 
variably operates against the best results. The following 
from experienced primary teachers will suggest some of th« 
various ways in which this gift can be profitably used 

IV V 
VI VII VIII IX 
X XI XII XIII 



SUGGESTIONS FROM TEACHERS. 

I found the Tenth Gift very helpful for number work. 
For instance, place upon the blackboard four straight marks; 
pupils place upon their desks four sticks. Teacher erases 
two marks; pupils at same time take up two sticks, and 
give answer 4-2 — 2. 

In similar ways lessons in addition and multiplication 

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can be given to very small children. They also make the 
Roman Numerals. Lessons like 3x3—6 are placed upon the 
board, and pupils put lessons and answers on desks with 
sticks. 

The Tenth Gift I have used to give the pupils with 
which to copy forms placed by me on the board, also to 
make forms dictated by me, and for use in inventing forms 
themselves, and this seems to be a never-ending source of 
enjoyment to them. The sticks are also very useful In 
teaching numbers. 

I found the Tenth Gift very useful. I often use it to 
teach numbers to pupils, laying the sticks in piles of any 
number I suggest to them. Count the piles, then the 
number of sticks in the whole lot, thus learning to multiply 
as well as add. Sometimes we lay them all of one color, 
sometimes one kind of each color in a pile. We make de- 
signs in numerals. In fact the ways I employ the sticks 
are many. I think of all the gifts I have derived most 
good from this. I have used the Tenth Gift with success, 
especially in teaching numbers. With a little thought one 
can use them in teaching addition, substraction, multiplica- 
tion, division and fractions. Also in busy work. Stick 
laying can be used to great advantage. We draw simple 
things on the board and the children reproduce them on 
their desks by means of sticks, which can also be used to 
advantage as number work and busy work. 

The Tenth Gift is excellent, as so many operations may 
be performed with them without the personal direction of 
the teacher. First with sticks of two lengths in number 
stories as lxlll—1111, or 1111-111—1; second, original con- 
struction purposes, houses, wells, etc.; third, construction 
from a drawing on the blackboard; fourth, to group sticks 
according to length; fifth, to group sticks according to 
color; sixth, to group sticks in numbers, as 11 11 111 111 
1111 1111. 

Gift No. 10 has been a very great help to me in my 
primary work in rural schools. I am at present teaching a 
school of eight grades with an average attendance of forty 
pupils. I find stick-laying more helpful than any other gift. 
I use colored ones. The teacher can put designs on board 
or paper for children to copy on desks. By using colored 
crayon and requiring pupils to use the same color with 
sticks, they are unconsciously learning the colors and which 
colors harmonize. They are indispensible in teaching the 
inch, 2-inch, etc. 

I have found sticks very useful in teaching the inch, 
two-inch, three-inch, etc. The children soon learn to tell 
the lenghts of sticks, and will show by putting two dots 
one inch apart, etc. After asking him to draw a line two 
inches in length, let him take the two-inch stick and de- 



termine for himself how nearly accurate his drawing has 
been. By drawing such objects as squares, rectangles, ob- 
longs, triangles, on the board, using, different colors of 
crayon, the children learn these forms, and by having them 
select colored sticks to correspond with the copy they re- 
ceive their first lessons in colors. I give pupils colored sticks 
and have them build printed words, when tired of the 
regular word builders. These sticks teach them to observe 
and are excellent for hand and eye training, because they 
must be laid evenly to represent a printed word. Roman 
Numerals are quickly learned if built with one and two- 
inch sticks. 

A sailboat, "May Flower," made of sticks, was a part 
of our November work. In December five pointed stars 
with yellow sticks, Christmas trees with green sticks. Other, 
colors for stockings and shoes, caps and mittens, Santa »leds, 
were used. 





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January snow stars, six points, are usually laid, and in 
February we made Lincoln cabins, using sticks for logs. 
Hatchets were made with inch sticks, and flags of red, blue 
and plain sticks. 

To teach the rudiments of fractions I take, for illustra- 
tion, four sticks and divide into equal parts, holding two 
in each hand. Unite them and they see that the two halves 
make the original number; nine may be divided into three 
parts and the pupils readily see that there are three threes 
in a whole, and that 1-3 of 9 is 3 and 2-3 is 6. 

Stick laying is ever a pleasure to children, gratifying the 
desire to do something after the pictures their minds have 
created. Lesson— Each child provided with necessary as- 
sortment of sticks. We usually employ the story method. 
As teacher tells story, pupils make on table befor* them 
as much of the picture as they can. When complete each 
child has his idea for you to scan. Sometimes he repro- 
duces the story from his objects. Sometimes a child is 
allowed to tell a story and the teacher constructs with the 
others. We never allow the sticks to be used just to while 
away time. Each lesson with the sticks clinches its thoughts 
in number, language, construction and objective expression." 

The material of this gift is used more in primary schools 
than that of any other gift or occupation. The expense even 
in a large school is trifling. Under all circumstances col- 
ored sticks should be used in preference to plain ones. It 
can be corelated with the reading lesson to greater ad- 
vantage than any other gift. For instance, nearly every 
object referred to in the reading lesson can be reproduced 
with sticks of various lengths. Addition, subtraction, multi- 
plication and division can be easily demonstrated. 

Note — This gift requires the netted surface, and 
where kindergarten tables are not provided, Shults' 
Desk Covers, or something similar should be used. 

These desk covers are furnished in three quali- 
fies, at 40 cents, 70 cents and $1.20 per dozen by 
J. H. Shults, Manistee, Mich. 



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